The Dashing David Dixon...

Good Day Fashionistas!

Today’s interview is with the incredibly talented fashion designer, David Dixon.  A judge for the Art of Fashion http://artoffashion.org,  David is a staple in the Canadian design industry and has really established a reputation for making stunning evening wear that speaks of glamour and sophistication. 

Designer David Dixon

David was the youngest of 6 children and grew up in an Irish family.  He shares that their background was in construction and it was only him and his brother, who is in interior design, who got involved in creative fields.  He wistfully recounts how his obsession with all things stylish started when he was a child watching an episode of the ‘Love Boat’ that featured Gloria Vanderbilt, Bob Mackie, Geoffrey Beene and Halston.  He says that the world opened up for him at that point and he started sketching the next day.  He remembers that drawing came naturally to him and even at the young age of 9 or 10, he started drawing gowns and evening wear.  He said that in grade 7 home education class, he literally went from sewing a bean frog to making an evening gown.  Later on he went to the Ryerson Fashion School and felt  he had finally found his niche among similarly minded students who shared his passion for fashion.   For the first time in his life he felt like he belonged somewhere with his unusual penchant for design. 

David sharing his story with me...

Since then, David has built a fashion empire and continues to push boundaries with his designs.  He is constantly experimenting with new techniques, creating memorable pieces that are unique and talked about.  Most recently, E-Talk anchor Tanya Kim wore an older piece in his collection that was a fabulous mirror dress.  People saw her wearing David’s design and he was inundated with calls asking for her dress.  He couldn’t believe the buzz it generated, especially since it is no longer available for purchase.   

David says he loves dressing women and that if he could dress anyone, he would have loved to design for Audrey Hepburn, Katherine Hepburn and Lena Horne.  For today’s starletts he admires the avant garde,  Tilda Swinton and classic beauty, Cate Blanchett, as well as his constant inspiration, Iman.   David prides himself on pieces that are well constructed and wants to challenge himself as his collections develop and change.  He hopes that his customers will grow along with his collection and support the new and innovative ways he is trying to leave his mark on the fashion industry.

As for the future of his collections, David has expanded into offering various lines for the everyday woman, including an exclusive line at the Bay called ‘Little Black Dress’.  He understands that having the perfect little black dress is essential for every woman’s wardrobe and knows that being accessible is key for women from all walks of life, whether they need an everyday look, or beautiful gown. 

David shared some pieces from his collection and showed us clover coats, eye cat leopard and digital python prints, as well as individually sewn shapes.  The intricacy of his designs is evident.  David clearly puts a lot of effort and time into sourcing out and designing the best fabrics and getting involved in the entire process from inception to the end.  He enjoys making fantastic ready to wear pieces with interesting details and trim cut by hand.  He is a staunch perfectionist and will not rest until he gets the desired effect.  It is clearly very important to him to produce quality pieces no matter what the price point and it is this dedication to his craft that has garnered everyone’s respect in a tough industry.

David’s unique voice continues on the runway and he tries to communicate a story to his audience so that people connect with what he is trying to do.  He wants his pieces to resonate with the consumer and recognizes that it is important to make an impression no matter what.

David and I in his workroom

As the president of the Toronto Fashion Incubator, a non-profit organization that supports emerging local talent, David knows the importance of getting involved with the next generation of designers and supporting the Canadian fashion landscape.  He enjoys being a part of events like the Art of Fashion, where he can be inspired by a new designer’s talent and raw expression.  As a former mentor at Ryerson University, David helped to develop the collections of 4^th year students and gave them advice and direction on how to edit and tailor their ideas.  He is truly someone who cares about what is ahead and is interested in keeping homegrown talent alive.    

There is a timelessness about David’s clothing.  He likes to address current themes while still making pieces that have no shelf life.  He is a great designer with a terrific business sense and his longevity is a prime example of how to be truly successful in fashion.  Watch out for what’s next from this enigmatic designer!  http://www.daviddixon.ca

Until Next Time My Glamazons!

Cecilia J

The Business of Fashion

Hello Ravishing Readers!

Today I am happy to share the story of another talented Art of Fashion http://artoffashion.org judge, Pheinixx, the creative director of Pencil http://pencil-design.com/, an innovative and cutting edge graphic design agency that caters to the fashion industry.  Pencil is the brainchild of Pheinixx, who, growing up as the daughter of an artist and fashion designer, was destined to work in the fashion world, despite her education in science.  No matter how hard she tried to look at other avenues for her career, somehow design, fashion and aesthetic seemed to seep into her life and lead her to where she is today. 

Pheinixx - Creative Director of Pencil

Her experience working with incredible designers and well respected brands like Julien Macdonald, Michael Kors, Roberto Cavalli, Lanvin, and Warner Bros. Music only add to her appeal.   Pheinixx has also designed layouts and graphic materials for such publications as Vogue, Elle, InStyle, GQ and W in Italy, Russia, China and Korea.  Founded in 2009, Pencil strives to create the perfect image for fashion designers wanting to market themselves in a way that is guaranteed to attract the right attention.  In talking with Pheinixx, it is obvious that she is a woman who really knows her business and how to make a success of any brand that needs direction, support, guidance and focus.    

Visual branding is key to any designer making it in a challenging fashion world and Pheinixx is sincerely dedicated to helping turn someone’s passion into a profession.  She very rightly says that many designers are experts at expressing themselves through their clothing, but simply need a fresh perspective on how to get their brand out to the masses.  She recognizes that everyone who is truly interested in making it in the gruelling fashion industry knows that having a unique stylistic voice combined with business sense is key launching a successful career.

As a current branding mentor with the Toronto Fashion Incubator and former regional director of the Toronto chapter of Fashion Group International, Pheinixx was naturally compelled to get involved with the Art of Fashion in order to support emerging Canadian design talent.  She speaks emphatically about the importance of nurturing our own and is so happy to be able to help fashion designers who are interested in growing, learning and taking their talent to the next level.  She also loves the fact that the Art of Fashion allows her the ability to help create a solid foundation for a designer to take full advantage of industry mentors and a large public platform of exposure.   Pheinixx knows that with the proper vision and an edgy perspective,   graphic design can truly elevate a brand and give a designer the direction they need to be a player in an industry that is quick to dismiss new talent without a strong foundation.  Pheinixx is someone who is very willing to share her knowledge and life lessons to really give designers a hand up.

In meeting Pheinixx you immediately sense her sincerity and her ability to form solid relationships with her clients. She is very proud to have worked with Nada Shepherd of NADA: to shoot and premiere the world's first 3D fashion short film in Canada, launch her fragrance with a flash mob and direct her creative through imagery, film and down a runway. Although NADA Designs recently closed up shop, her strong connection to Nada is something that she keeps with her as a testament to the importance of being genuine and investing in who and what you believe in.  

Pheinixx is currently working with a Canadian not-for-profit organization as the creative director for an event to support African women who will be constructing wearable art pieces to showcase the craft industry in Africa.   The pieces will be used to create a show and exhibition for the design and fashion industries and her role is to work with a select team in helping to  conceptualize the visual identity for the event and to develop a year-long marketing campaign.  Pheinixx says that the interest around this event is so great that 54 countries are participating and attending to see the viability of investing in African handmade merchandise.  Through this endeavor, Pheinixx will undoubtedly change the lives of women in a very profound way.  Her heart clearly comes through in everything she does and I can only imagine what else she will accomplish as her career continues to accelerate at a rapid pace. 

One thing is for sure; Pheinixx is someone whose pencil you want sketching out your path to greatness. 

Until next time my Glamazons,

Cecilia J

Video Interview at Raindance with Karen Johnson

Check this out everyone!  http://www.youtube.com/raindancetoronto#p/u/10/Uyxjq-2amyU

Having Fun on the Purple Carpet with Yahoo! Canada and omg!

Hello Ravishing Readers!

Recently Yahoo! Canada launched a fantastic new celebrity and entertainment website called omg!  http://ca.omg.yahoo.com/ Billed as the #1 celebrity news site in the U.S., omg! saw the need to create a Canadian counterpart and wanted to provide those of us in the Great White North a chance to keep up to date with the latest and greatest from Hollywood and around the world with a homegrown twist!

Looking Fab on the purple carpet!

A special section on the site called the North Stars Blog http://ca.omg.yahoo.com/blogs/north-stars/ is exclusively dedicated to breaking all the latest news on Canadian stars and local celebrity sightings. 

omg! launched with a great event at Dundas Square that saw an appearance by the fabulous Cat Deeley from ‘So You Think You Can Dance’, graffiti artists, break dancing and fun life size cut-outs of tuxedos and dresses that people could ‘try on’ on and get their pics taken on the purple carpet!

Cat Deeley

I, for one am already addicted to the delicious celeb gossip, amazing photos and incredible coverage! 

omg! is also running a contest on their Yahoo! Canada Facebook page.  It’s the omg! Pop Quiz where you can test your celebrity news expertise.  The grand prize is a weekend in Toronto to attend the 2011 Canada’s Walk of Fame Awards.  You can read all about the contest and see pics from the Dundas Square event at www.facebook.com/yahoocanada.Get your omg! fix today!

Until Next Time My Glamazons!

Cecilia :)

TIFFtastic!!!!

Me & Valdie

After a whirlwind of TIFF parties this week, I am posting some pics of the best dressed fashionistas I encountered at the Raindance Canada soiree at Cafe Atelier.  Thanks so much to our staunch supporter, Glenda Fordham of Fordham PR http://www.fordhampr.ca/ for the invite!

I went down with Valdie Poter, our incredible new account manager who has just come over from Britain and helped to launch Britain's Next Top Model Live last year.  Here he is with the fabulous Karen Johnson, television personality and producer.

Karen and Valdie

Karen interviewed us at the party,  she is so fun and natural at what she does.  We loved her and her dress!!!

 

Here are some more stylish partygoers:

Lina of Karmo Pro Entertainment Group

Ricardo, Harun, Me & Izzy, television producers extraordinaire!



Burlesque dancer, Red Herring



Red Herring's protege

Animal print was in!  Here is our new friend
Manal and her
incredible pair of shoes in the pic above!!!

All in all it was a fantastic night!  We ended the partying with a trip to Ultra for the Katwalk Closing party featuring fashion by John Varvatos. 
Here I am with the ever charming Mike Henry from Ink Entertainment!



Now that TIFF is winding down, I think I might have to start planning already for next year's round of parties.  We are so excited about all of the amazing things that are happening with ANTM Live Toronto and I can't wait to share everything with all of you!  Just wait till you see what's coming! 

Until Next Time My Glamazons!

Cecilia :)

ALL STAR STUNNERS!!!

Hello darling ANTM Fans!

Welcome to another fantastic cycle of America’s Next Top Model, the All Star edition!  I am so relieved to have my ANTM fix again and even more excited that we will be having girls from the show at ANTM Live Toronto http://www.antmlivetoronto.com/!  Stay tuned to find out who you can see in person at the fashion, beauty and shopping spectacle of the year!

There were a few surprises in this episode, but none more shocking than seeing the absolutely gorgeous Nigel Barker with a full head of hair!  What do you think of the newly coiffed photographer? 

Nigel Barker's new do!

On to the episode!  We open to see Tyra in bed re-enacting each all star in a dream sequence.  You’ve gotta love her acting chops!  Judging by the scene clips from the whole season, we are in for a wild ride in true ANTM style! It was nice to get a recap of each model to refresh our memories as to exactly why they chose this group of divas to compete a second time around. 

Angelea

Angelea Preston from cycle 14 is first to arrive and identifies herself as being ‘classy ghetto’.  

Laura

Next we see our favourite country bumpkin from cycle 13, Laura Kirkpatrick, who tells us that she has been modelling since leaving the show.  She is so cute I can hardly stand it and the sweetness of her personality comes out in everything she does. 

Bianca

Drama enters next with Bianca Golden from cycle 9 who tells us that she wants the world to see that she can become a mogul in the modelling industry. 

Lisa

Lisa Damato from cycle 5 arrives and tells us that she has just recorded her first album and is certain that she is going to become a star. 

Bre

Bre Scullark from cycle 5 breezes in to a chilly reception from Bianca.  We find out that Bre and Bianca became friends and moved in together and Bianca is none too thrilled that Bre didn’t tell her she was going to be on the show.  Let the catfights begin! 

Brittany

After Bre’s arrival, Brittany Brower from cycle 4, otherwise known as the party girl of her season moves into the house and talks about how this show will really help to boost a model’s career.

Dominique

Dominique Reighard from cycle 10 is next and she is looking beautiful as ever having just had a new baby. 

Sheena

Sheena Saki from cycle 11 brings some exotic flavour to the mix and states her determination to win. 

Isis

Transgendered contestant Isis King from cycle 11 enters and talks about how much better she feels now that she has had her gender re-assignment surgery.  Looking at her, you can see just how comfortable she feels now that she has made this life change. 

Kayla

Kayla Ferrel from cycle 15 shows up without her ravishing red hair and the girls have a hard time recognizing her with her new raven hairdo. 

Allison

Doe eyed Allison Harvard from cycle 12 arrives next and she is relatively unchanged from her previous season.  She still has an innocent, childlike face and a very unique look. 

Camille

Camille Mcdonald from cycle 2 shows up to the party and is not warmly greeted as most of the girls seem to be aware of her reputation as being nasty. 

Shannon

The beautiful Shannon Stewart from cycle 1 is next and she talks about how much positive response she got from fans supporting her when she refused to pose in the buff.  

Alexandria

Alexandria Everett from cycle 16 arrives and talks about how she was misunderstood during her season and hopes to correct that. 

The girls race to find their beds and are then welcomed to the mansion by Mr. Jay Manuel himself.  He tells them that all the girls were chosen because they were fan favourites and are still being talked about today.  He tells them that their first photo shoot is in the backyard and explains that they will each represent their America‘s Next Top Model persona in their shoots.  He introduces Celeste Canino, famed photographer and she tells the girls how excited she is to capture them on film. 

The girls go and get their hair and make-up done and it doesn’t take long for the drama to begin as Bianca gets some bright red hair extensions that she is clearly unhappy about.  Jay advises Bianca to embrace her loud and sassy nature but Celeste doesn’t think she did well on camera.  Allison’s character is a ‘quirky doll’ and she tries to bring out the wide eyed innocence that made her stand out in the past.  Other great pics came from Dominique, who was wearing a black sheer body suit adorned with metal from neck to thigh.  She looked like a cross between Madonna and Lady Gaga and did her best to stay ahead of the pack.  Kayla wore a gay flag to represent her life choice and talked about how proud she is of herself.  Country cutie Laura posed with her adorable charm and a fishing pole.  Isis was the stand out for me, portraying ‘confidence’ in her shoot by posing in a unique stance and looking absolutely incredible.  Angelic Shannon had a very hard time with her lace outfit and was put off when Mr. Jay tried to persuade her to wear the lace panties to go with her top.

The girls are told that they will be critiqued in a live judging panel in front of all their fans at the Nokia Plaza in LA.  At the plaza, Tyra comes out looking cute in a fedora and suspenders.  She announces guest judges Nicki Minaj, Nigel with hair and Andre Leon Talley.  Each girl gets introduced one by one and Lisa comes out with a bang by hyping up the crowd and doing the splits.  Allison is next and comes out dressed like Little Bo Peep.  The judges love her picture and seem impressed.  When Alexandria walks the runway, she actually gets booed and called names.  She is really affected by the reaction and has a hard time dealing with it but handled it well in front of the crowd.  She is truly the model many people love to hate.  Isis displays a spectacular photo and no one can deny her ability to work it.  Kayla comes out and says that she is portraying a ‘super gay’ in her photo and gets mixed reactions from the judges.  Laura saunters down the runway and makes ‘hee haw high fashion’ according to Andre and talks about how the dress she is wearing for the runway was made by her grandmother.  Tyra then tells the girls about how the crowd reaction will factor into the judging. 

Judge and audience favourites included Allison, Laura and Isis.  They didn’t love Lisa and her jumping in the pool pic and they had a hard time accepting Shannon’s excuse for not wearing the chosen outfit.  At elimination Isis gets called as ‘best photo’.  The bottom two come down to Brittany and Alexandria.  Tyra announces Alexandria as still being in the running to be America’s Next Top Model and explains that being loved and hated is a good thing because it shows Alexandria’s star power, but advised that she should try to gain more popularity. Brittany goes home because fans don’t seem to remember her as much as the other girls and she expresses how surprised she is to be leaving this early in the game.

So ends another riveting episode of our favourite reality t.v. addiction!  Make sure you tune in next week to stay in the know about who else will go!

Until Next Time My Glamazons!

Cecilia J   

Hair Couture

Hello Fashionistas!

Have you ever looked at yourself in an outfit and wondered what else you could add to give it that extra something?  It might be a custom made hair fascinator from Melissa’s Bowtique! 

Melissa Sherwin of Melissa's Bowtique

Melissa Sherwin is one of our fantastic ANTM Live exhibitors and specializes in hand made hair accessories that help you to truly stand out in a crowd. 

Since starting her self-made business in February of this year, Melissa’s original creations have been gaining popularity at a rapid pace and she has had to increase her production to accommodate all the orders that are coming in. 

This one woman show is impressive and her incredible creativity has attracted quite a following.  Melissa says her most popular accessories are the feathered hair fascinators, particularly since seeing all of the excitement surrounding the royal wedding of William and Kate.

She says that bright colours are trendy and women are gravitating towards red, purple and turquoise to make a fashion statement.  Her bridal line is exquisite and has been so well received that she is looking to expand the designs she carries.  Some of Melissa’s favourite pieces are her top hat designs, particularly the one she designed with an ‘Alice In Wonderland’ theme in mind.

When asked if she has plans to expand her line into jewellery, Melissa says that she prefers to concentrate on hair fascinators and perfect that aspect of her business instead of diluting her brand with too many different products.  Melissa is also a proud Canadian in that 98% of the supplies she uses are bought locally.  She chooses to keep her prices affordable to encourage repeat buyers and build loyalty among her customers. 

In terms of her personal style, Melissa is addicted to the classic look from the 40’s and 50’s and really enjoys wearing vintage clothing, high heels and of course, doesn’t leave home without a fascinator.  She says that people stare at her when she walks around her hometown of Cobourg, Ontario, but those stares inevitably turn into sales as people always want to know where she gets her fabulous hair couture! 

As a mother of three young children, you wonder where she has the time to dedicate to making these works of art, but in meeting Melissa, you instantly get the feeling that she is a woman who is truly dedicated to her work and it is her passion that drives her success.

    

Her advice to other new business owners is to not be discouraged by the competition.  She says it is important to focus on what you are doing, where you want to be and how you can set yourself apart.  Melissa says that as long as you keep doing what you love, you will be successful no matter what.

Visit Melissa’s website at www.melissasbowtique.ca and watch out for her at America’s Next Top Model Live! 

Thank you to Melissa for taking the time to talk with us and thank you for the stunning fascinator!!

She very kindly named this creation after yours truly! Go get the 'Cecilia Clip' and don't forget to adorn your hair with one of Melissa's handiwork for ANTM Live!  I know I will!

Until Next Time My Glamazons!

Cecilia J

Shawn Makes Us 'Shiver'

Hello Lovely Fashionistas!

I recently had the pleasure of taking a jaunt into downtown Toronto to see Shawn Desman at Vervegirl Magazine (www.vervegirl.com) and Clinique’s Ambassador for Change http://cliniqueambassador.com/ event.  It was a day full of fashion shows, free makeovers and an appearance by Shawn to cap off the excitement!

Shawn is a platinum selling artist whose new album, FRESH has received critical acclaim.  With songs like ‘Shiver’ and ‘Night Like This’, his fan base expands by the minute as he continues to dominate the music charts.  www.shawndesman.com His involvement with the Clinique Ambassador for Change and Vervegirl is an example of his desire to use his notoriety towards inspiring people to make a difference in their communities.

Vervegirl Magazine is a great free publication that is distributed across local high schools and has terrific articles and features targeted to 12 – 24 year olds.  Advice on make-up, fashion and all the latest celeb and music news keep Vervegirl current and relatable for their readers.  This year’s joint endeavour with Clinique and Sears is a call for young Canadian women who are instigating positive change in the world to come forward and be acknowledged for their efforts in making the world a better place.  Entries began being judged on August 30th by Shawn Desman himself and the editor of Vervegirl, Xania Khan!  See the entrants at http://cliniqueambassador.com/user/register who will qualify to win great prizes like a $500 shopping spree from Sears and $500 worth of Clinique makeup! 

As a lead up to ANTM Live, we will be featuring fabulous young women who will be sharing their comments about fashion, trends and what’s in style!  They will also give us an insider’s look into the high school experience!  Allow me to introduce our first two terrific teens, Emily and Azyia, who will be contributing to a ‘High School Confidential’ section for our show blog throughout the year. 



Emily and Azyia

Emily and Azyia gladly accompanied me to see Shawn in person and were very excited to meet him!  He was very friendly and sweet and posed for a pic with our girls!  

The girls and Shawn Desman

They also got to experience free Clinique makeovers and left the event looking like a million bucks!

Looking gorgeous!

Make-Up Artist Simone and Azyia

Thanks to Emily and Azyia for spending the day with ANTM Live!  Congrats to Vervegirl, Clinique and Sears on their fantastic event!

Until Next Time My Glamazons!

Cecilia J